1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a music piece reproducing apparatus, a music piece reproducing method, and a music piece reproducing program in which music pieces which can be easily listened to even under environmental noises are automatically selected from recorded music pieces and reproduced.
2. Description of the Related Arts
In recent years, a music reproducing apparatus in which music pieces are automatically classified into various categories and, when the user selects a desired category, the music pieces corresponding to the selected category are automatically selected and reproduced has been put into practical use. In such a kind of music reproducing apparatus, a music piece classifying method whereby feature amounts such as tempo, code progress, and the like of a music piece which each music piece has are detected and the music pieces are automatically classified into various categories on the basis of the detected feature amounts is used.
For example, a method of analyzing a music piece and detecting feature amounts such as tempo, speed feeling, and the like is disclosed in Patent Document 1 (JP-A-2005-274708). For example, a method of analyzing a signal component of each musical interval in an audio signal is disclosed in Patent Document 2 (JP-A-2005-275068).
The music reproducing apparatus in the related art will be schematically described here. FIG. 22 shows a using form of an example of a music reproducing apparatus 101 in the related art. The example shown in FIG. 22 illustrates a state where the music reproducing apparatus 101 such as a portable music reproducing apparatus or the like and headphones 102 are connected and the user is listening to music pieces recorded in the music reproducing apparatus 101 through the headphones 102. In the example, it is assumed that a plurality of music pieces have been classified into categories on the basis of the music piece classifying method in the related art and have previously been recorded in the music reproducing apparatus 101. For making an explanation easy, it is assumed here that the music pieces recorded in the music reproducing apparatus 101 have been classified into one of the two categories of “rock (that is, rock music)” and “classic (that is, classical music)”. Further, with respect to the ambient environment of the user, cases of two environments such as state where the user is in a “train” and state where the user is in a “coffee shop” will be described.
In the music reproducing apparatus 101 in the related art, a plurality of music pieces have been classified every category and recorded. For example, a music piece A, a music piece B, . . . have previously been classified into the category of “rock” and recorded and a music piece C, a music piece D, . . . have previously been classified into the category of “classic” and recorded. When the user manually selects a desired category, the music pieces corresponding to the selected category are selected and reproduced.
It is considered that the selection of the category by the user is made in accordance with an ambient environmental noise level or the like. For example, when the user is in a train, since the ambient environmental noise level is high, it is difficult to listen to the music pieces classified into the category of “classic” of slow tune. Therefore, in such a case, it is considered that the music pieces classified into the category of “rock” which can be listened to in the situation of the high environmental noise level are selected. For example, when the user relaxes in a coffee shop, since the ambient environmental noise level is low, it is considered in such a case that the music pieces classified into the category of “classic” are selected.
Subsequently, a selecting method of the category of the music pieces in the music reproducing apparatus 101 in the related art will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 23. In step S101, a power source of the music reproducing apparatus 101 is turned on. In step S102, the ambient environment is recognized by the user. In step S103, the category according to the ambient environmental noise level is selected by the user. For example, when the user is in a train, the category of “rock” is selected and, when the user is in a coffee shop, the category of “classic” is selected.
In step S104, predetermined music pieces are selected from the music pieces corresponding to the selected category and reproduced. As music pieces which are reproduced, for example, a plurality of music pieces classified into the selected category may be reproduced at random or can be also reproduced in predetermined reproducing order.
In step S105, whether or not the music is continuously listened to is discriminated. If it is decided that the music is continuously listened to, a processing routine is returned to step S102 and the ambient environment is recognized again by the user. If it is decided that the music is not listened to, the processing routine advances to step S106 and the power source of the music reproducing apparatus 101 is turned off and a series of processes is finished.
In this manner, in the music reproducing apparatus 101 in the related art, the user recognizes the ambient environment by himself and manually selects the category of the music pieces in accordance with the environmental noise level.